(COLORADO SPRINGS) – Candidate for Colorado Springs mayor Yemi Mobolade officially launched his campaign Saturday evening at The Pinery North.
The line to get into the event was out the door. There was catered food and drinks, a live band, a few speakers from the community, and even a deaf interpreter for the speakers on stage.
One thing Mobolade made a point to emphasize was that he is not a career politician.
“Colorado Springs does not need another career politician. I am not running because I’m looking for my next political ladder, or I don’t know what else to do with my life,” Mobolade said in his speech to the crowd, which was received with a resounding laugh.
The room was filled with business owners, community leaders, residents, and campaign volunteers who packed the room, all outfitted with ‘Yemi for Mayor’ pins blazoned on their chests.
“I’m a newcomer to politics, and because of my story and my leadership, it’s bringing in a whole lot of political newcomers as well,” said Mobolade. “From business owners who said, we swore we would never have a politician in our business. They’ve broken it on my account. From people who’ve never given money to politics. They’ve broken it on my account. From people who’ve never had a yard sign!”
Mobolade is the only candidate for mayor running as an independent.
“A good mayor will serve all residents. Residents that use pronouns, residents that don’t. Residents that are pro-choice, residents that are pro-life. You see, there’s no such thing as a Republican pothole or Democrat pothole,” said Mobolade.
The Colorado Springs City Charter declares all municipal elections to be non-partisan, but Mobolade doesn’t believe it has been genuinely upheld in the past.
“Historically, we’ve gone through the motions, and then we go back into party politics… We’re done. We’re done with politics. We’re done with special interests. This is a government for our people,” Mobolade asserted.
The City of Colorado Springs will hold its general election for mayor on April 4.
